By MICHAEL VIRTANEN Associated Press

Published 12:01 am, Thursday, June 30, 2011

ALBANY -- A group that opposes gay marriage promised to spend at least $2 million to oust seven state senators who changed their positions to make New York the sixth state where same-sex unions are legal.

The Washington-based National Organization for Marriage said in a fundraising email to supporters that it is committed to helping elect majorities in 2012 that support marriage as being between only a man and a woman.

"In order to change policy on marriage, we're going to have to change personnel in Albany -- starting with the turncoat senators who made promises to their constituents on marriage and then voted the opposite way," President Brian Brown wrote.

The four Republicans and three Democrats who changed their votes or positions -- including Sen. Roy McDonald, R-Saratoga -- were key in Friday's 33-29 vote. Only one Democrat among the 30 in the Senate, Ruben Diaz of the Bronx, voted against gay marriage. Diaz is a minister who opposes it on religious grounds.

The organization's solicitation showed the names and photographs of the seven senators, six of whom voted no in 2009 when an almost identical bill was defeated in Albany, 38-24.

The National Organization for Marriage, which worked to pass the California referendum to rescind legal gay marriage, wants to do the same in New York.

To change the constitution in New York, however, two separately elected legislatures have to approve a constitutional convention, meaning the earliest a referendum could happen is 2015.

Brown knows it will be difficult but said the group will settle for nothing less.